Dual bus architecture for a storage device

Abstract

An apparatus includes a first bus, a second bus, and a storage module having a first and second output with the first output being connected to the first bus and a second output being connected to the second bus. A first buffer storage and a second buffer storage in which the first buffer storage is connected to the first bus and the second buffer storage is connected to the second bus. The second buffer storage includes an error correction module. First and second network adapters are connected to the first and second buses respectively. The first network adapter also includes a connection to the first buffer. A processor in the apparatus includes a first processor circuitry for transferring the data using a first path through the first output in the storage module to the first buffer storage and from the first buffer storage to the first network adapter. A second processor circuitry is for transferring data using a second path through the second output to the second buffer storage through the error correction module and from the second buffer storage to the second network adapter, wherein the second processor circuitry is responsive to an error in the storage module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising: a first bus;   a second bus;   a storage module, the storage module having a first output and a second output, the first output being connected to the first bus and the second output being connected to the second bus, wherein data is stored in the storage device;   a first buffer storage connected to the first bus;   a second buffer storage including an error correction module, the second buffer storage being connected to the second bus;   a first network adapter connected to an output of the first buffer;   a second network adapter connected to the second bus; and   a processor including a first processor means for transferring the data using a first path from the first output to the first buffer storage and from the first buffer storage to the first network adapter and second processor means for transferring the data using a second path from the second output to the second buffer storage and from the second buffer storage to the second network adapter, wherein the second processor means is responsive to an error in the storage module and wherein errors in data are detected and corrected by the error correction module.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the storage module includes a plurality of storage devices. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each of the plurality of storage devices are dual port storage devices wherein a first port of each dual port storage device is connected to the first output of the storage module and a second port of each dual port storage device is connected to a second output of the storage module. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the plurality of storage devices are hard disk drives. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein each of the hard disk drives are dual port hard disk drives. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data is a plurality of files. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the data comprises a plurality of videos in the form of digital video files. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus comprising: a first bus;   a second bus;   a storage module containing a plurality of storage devices, the storage module having a first output and a second output;   a first buffer storage connected to the first bus;   a second buffer storage connected to the second bus, wherein the second buffer storage includes an error correction module;   a first network adapter connected to the output of the first buffer;   a second network adapter connected to the second bus; and   the apparatus having two modes of operation: a first mode of operation in which the data is transferred from the first output to the first bus, from the first bus to the first buffer storage, and from the first buffer storage to the first network adapter; and   a second mode of operation, responsive to a failure of one of the plurality of storage devices in the storage module, in which data is transferred from the second output of the second bus to the second buffer storage with parity bits, wherein the error correction module verifies and corrects errors in the data prior to the data being transferred to the second network adapter.     
     
     
       9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of storage devices are dual port storage devices, each storage device within the plurality of storage devices having a first port connected to the first output of the storage module and a second output connected to the second output of the storage module. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the plurality of storage devices are hard disk drives. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein each of the hard disk drives are dual port hard disk drives. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first buffer storage and the second buffer storage are comprised of rotating buffers. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus includes a third mode of operation in which data is transferred from the first output to the first bus to the first buffer storage, data in the first buffer storage is transferred to the first network adapter and data is transferred from the second output to the second bus to the second buffer storage, and data in the second buffer storage is transferred to the second network adapter without activating the error correction module. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the data comprises a plurality of videos in the form of digital video files. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first bus is a peripheral component interconnection bus and the second bus is a peripheral component interconnection bus. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the first network adapter is an ATM network adapter and the second network adapter is an ATM network adapter. 
     
     
       17. A data storage system comprising: a first bus;   a second bus;   a storage module connected to the first bus and the second bus, wherein data is stored in the storage module; and   a buffer storage connected to the first bus and the second bus the buffer storage including an error correction module;   means for transferring data to the buffer storage using the first bus until an error in data occurs in retrieving data from the storage module; and   means, responsive to an error in retrieving data from the storage module, for transferring data to the buffer using the second bus and for checking errors in the data and correcting detected errors in the data using the error correction module.   
     
     
       18. The data storage system of claim 17, wherein the buffer storage includes a first buffer connected to the first bus and a second buffer connected to the second bus. 
     
     
       19. The data storage system of claim 18, wherein the second buffer is connected to the second bus by the error correction module. 
     
     
       20. The data storage system of claim 18, wherein the first buffer is a rotating buffer and the second buffer is a rotating buffer. 
     
     
       21. The data storage system of claim 17, further comprising a first network adapter connected to the first bus and a second network adapter connected to the second bus. 
     
     
       22. The data storage system of claim 20, wherein the data located in the first buffer is transferred from the first buffer to the first network adapter and data located in the second buffer is transferred to the second network adapter. 
     
     
       23. The data storage system of claim 21, wherein the first network adapter includes a direct connection to the first buffer and the data in the first buffer is transferred to the first network adapter using the direct connection. 
     
     
       24. The data storage system of claim 22, wherein the first and second network adapters are ATM network adapters. 
     
     
       25. The data storage system of claim 17, wherein the first bus is connected to a system bus in a computer. 
     
     
       26. The data storage system of claim 17, wherein the second bus is connected to a system bus in a computer.